


Television Romance

by symbiont



Category: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: First Dates, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-22
Updated: 2018-10-22
Packaged: 2019-08-06 03:37:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 860
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16380644
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/symbiont/pseuds/symbiont
Summary: Julian nervously waits for his first date with Garak.





	Television Romance

**Author's Note:**

> Somehow this is my first time writing Garashir, so please be gentle with me! For day one of Garashir Week, First Dates/Confessions. Let me know if you spot any typos or spelling mistakes etc.
> 
> Yell at me @sym-biont on tumblr<3  
> Hope you enjoy!

He stares at his reflection in the mirror, turning his head left and right - to examine the line of his jaw, newly shaven and soft, up to the soft tousle of his hair. He runs his hands through critically, sweeping the shorter strands in the front forward and leaning back to examine his reflection for a few moments before huffing and pushing them back again. Behind him, just visible in the reflection over his shoulder, the haphazard pile of clothes on his bed is shamefully high. 

‘Garak would never speak to me again if he saw this,’ Julian mutters to himself, regretting the words as soon as he’s said them. That steers his thoughts in exactly the direction he’s been carefully trying to avoid – thinking of Garak, even if Garak is behind every second guess or nervous fumble he’s made so far today, and the cause of his current dilemma.

After everything that’s happened between them – the fevered closeness and their slow growth apart, Julian had finally worked up the courage to do what he’d been thinking of since that day in the Replimat. With a war looming it had seemed like the only course of action, of course. He’d asked Garak on a date – a private and (hopefully) romantic date in his quarters for lunch. 

He doesn’t regret his decision – even if the words spilt too quickly from his mouth, they were true and they’d made something in Garak’s eyes shine. All positive signs but still Julian finds himself wracked with nerves. Where is his confidence? Despite his belief in his own good looks – he knows very well that he’s handsome even, now Julian finds himself losing confidence even in that. The one thing that still truly belongs to him, his appearance. 

Julian takes one final look at himself, trying hard not to be too critical. The shirt that he’s chosen is one of the first that Garak had made for him and so the collar is in the Cardassian style, asymmetrical and exposing far too much of his collarbones for his own liking. It will have to do, he supposes, stepping out of his bedroom and closing the door behind him.

He settles at the table first, before moving irritably over to the couch and sinking down into the further corner from the door – trying to force his unruly limbs into stillness. His heart is pounding so hard that Julian worries that Garak will be able to see it, even through the material of his shirt.

He’s never felt so wholly insecure before, so sure that Garak would see right through him, as he always did, and find his weaknesses. Find him inadequate – not handsome enough, not clever enough, not quick-witted enough, not good enough.

Not Cardassian enough. 

As if on queue, Julian’s door chimes. 

‘Enter,’ he finds himself replying, his voice wavering and uncertain as his body goes stiff expectantly. Waiting for the inevitable rejection. For the coldness that has settled between them to be final. 

But despite Garak’s constant assurances of the opposite nothing, it seems, is ever plain and simple with him. 

‘It’s good to see you, my dear,’ Garak says, smiling benignly as he steps over the threshold. But his eyes, Julian realises, are burning with something – bright and hot, that makes Julian shiver all over. He leaps up from the couch and strides across the room to greet Garak, feeling too big for his own skin. 

‘Garak,’ he manages to say as he feels the burst of colour, hot and blotchy, burst across his cheeks and down his neck. They observe each other for a few tense and silent moments, Julain worrying that he’s said something wrong.

Garak leans closer and closer, and Julian feels a crease forming on his forehead. What is he..?

Julian doesn’t have time to finish the thought as Garak captures his lips – hot and sweet and soft, moving gently against him. The touch is so light that Julian half wonders if this is real, opening one eye just to check. After years it’s better than he ever could have imagined – having Garak this close, tasting him on his lips, feeling Garak’s heat seeping into his own skin. 

‘Yes my dear,’ Garak says as he leans away just barely. The vibration of his voice passing through Julian’s skin and sending new waves of shivers through him.

Julian takes a breath – long and deep, settling himself into the present and steps away. Just for a moment, so quick Julian almost thinks he’s imagined it, Garak’s eyes flash with hurt – wide and watery before the emotion is gone again, hidden.

‘Please take a seat,’ Julian says, careful to keep his voice friendly and even, a smile playing around the corners of his lips. He slips their hands together, Garak’s cold and rough in his and Garak’s expression settles somewhat – his eyes dancing with light and his mouth pulled up into the barest hint of a smile. 

‘Impressed?’ Julian thinks as they settle into their seats and let their comfortable dance play out once again, over steaming hot bowls of soup. As first dates go, Julian thinks it’s everything he could’ve wanted.


End file.
